


Artificial Duplicity

by BladedDarkness



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Humor, side pairing: Astra/Alex Danvers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-16
Updated: 2017-03-15
Packaged: 2018-10-05 21:18:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10317164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BladedDarkness/pseuds/BladedDarkness
Summary: Livewire and her mother's hologram teaming up? Not exactly the way Kara wants to wake up on her birthday.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This was probably spawned from the same plot bunny as Precautionary Interference, I'm not sure. I just wanted to get the first chapter (of hopefully only two) out there.
> 
> Also, Leslie's snark was surprisingly fun to write.

Kara groans as she wakes up and the ringing telephone is the first thing she hears. She cracks an eye open.

 

3:09 a.m.

 

“Alex, this better not be your happy birthday call.”

 

“We have a slight situation here.”

 

Kara groans again. “I’m really not a fan of these nocturnal aliens.”

 

“It’s not aliens this time. It’s your mother’s AI.”

 

\-----

 

When Kara lands at the D.E.O., the base is unusually dark. She approaches the door just in time to catch Alex starting to tug the door open.

 

“There you are,” Alex says as Kara opens the door fully and steps inside. “We’re on a bit of a lockdown at the moment.”

 

“What’s going on?”

 

Alex starts down one of the hallways. “Okay, so the AI, it uses a lot of power. For alien tech, it’s not very energy efficient, at least by human specifications. So, apparently, the power source is split between the network for the prisoners’ cells and the normal D.E.O. operations mainframe.”

 

Kara frowns as they take another turn. “So what’s the issue? She didn’t let Astra out or anything, did she?”

 

Alex shakes her head. “She’s actually been communicating with Livewire. For the last week, based on our best guess.” She punches in a code. “What we’re not sure about is whose idea it was exactly for Willis to give the AI a boost to override the entire system. She’s basically been holding everybody hostage until you got here, but she hasn’t released any of the prisoners, even Livewire.”

 

“She was a judge, so that’s pretty much the opposite of what she would do unless the code has been corrupted. Why would Leslie help her then?” Kara asks, following Alex into the room and blinking at the bolt of electricity tossed casually at the containment cell wall.

 

“Well, that’s a simple question, Cape and Skirt!” Livewire says, grinning. She tosses her hair over her shoulder. “I’m a sucker for love, after all.” She flicks a spark between her fingers. “Nauseating as it is thinking of you knocking those boots against any bed.”

 

“Right,” Alex deadpans. “That explains absolutely everything.”

 

Leslie pauses her scrutiny of Supergirl to shoot Alex a look. “You made the right choice, by the way. The aunt is way hotter than blondie here.”

 

“I have no idea what’s your talking about,” Alex replies, flushing.

 

“Uh huh. You realize that HoloMom and I could just pull up the really hot footage, right? I’m being kind enough to not traumatize the only  _ girl _ left in the room, you could at least be honest, agent.”

 

Alex opens her mouth, but Kara claps her hand over it. “I don’t want to know. Have fun, be safe, don’t die,” she says seriously and Alex nods. “Leslie, stop perving on my aunt… and Agent Danvers. Why am I here?”

 

“Hey, it’s not my show, blue bird.”

 

A burst of static filled the room and Alura materializes to the side of Livewire’s cell. “Hello, daughter.”

 

Kara crosses her arms, shifting her weight. “What’s going on?”

 

“You have reached the age of Kryptonian majority, dear daughter. It is time for you to assume some of your House responsibilities.”

 

Kara frowns. “Uh, okay? This seems a little over the top just to wish me happy birthday and give me a list of chores, Mom.”

 

“You are the last daughter of Krypton. The future of the Kryptonian race lies heavily on your shoulders. It is a burden your father and I hoped you would not have to bear, but we made contingency plans for this situation.”

 

“This is sounding less like chores.”

 

“I wished to gain your approval before I finalized your betrothal selection.”

 

Kara stares the AI. “What?”

 

“Unfortunately, the pool of potential lifemates on Earth is not as large as we would like. An oversight, but we are blessed that so many Kryptonian males without lifemates survived the destruction of Krypton.”

 

Kara turns to Alex, eye twitching. “I need you to check my hearing.”

 

Leslie cackles.

 

“Mom, the remaining Kryptonians are prisoners from Fort Rozz! You sentenced at least half of them. They hate me.”

 

“Kal-El has been excluded, of course. But an analysis of the Fort Rozz records indicate that Zol-Zar would perhaps be an adequate match,” the AI continues in a monotone.

 

“I really don’t think this is a good idea. The humans get by fine without betrothals,” argues Kara.

 

“Mostly, yeah,” agrees Alex.

 

“In comparison to most of the others held in Fort Rozz, Zol-Zar’s crimes of temporal tampering are mild.”

 

“That’s messed up,” Alex interrupts. Kara gives her a look. “What, you guys had  _ time travel _ and it’s a minor crime? Not to mention how much good it could have done for Krypton.”

 

“Zol-Zar is being held on the premises. Shall I submit the betrothal petition, daughter?”

 

“No!” Kara blurts, still half in horrified shock. “I - I have someone already!”

 

The AI blinks once slowly, frowning so stiffly that Kara diverts her eyes. It’s nothing like the frowns she remembers.

 

“You mean there’s a special someone out there you haven’t broken in half?” Leslie asks. “I’m  _ shocked. _ ”

 

“My searches of the public recordings did not indicate that you had found a lifemate,” the AI prompts.

 

Kara shrugs, mind whirring furiously. “They’re - we’re very private.”

 

“Please elaborate upon their identity.”

 

“Um, I really don’t want to do that,” Kara says. “Not in front of Livewire, at least.”

 

Livewire waves a hand at her. “Oh, please, I’m not interested in you. I just want to fry a feline.” She grins. “Or is that why you’re so worried?”

 

Kara hesitates just a fraction too long, unable to come up with a more plausible alternative.

 

“Holy shit, you are dating!”

 

“No! I mean, w-we’re not,” Kara tells Leslie, amazingly worse at telling the truth this time than she is at lying. 

 

“Then there is no reason to not continue with the betrothal.”

 

“I’m really not comfortable discussing this in front of someone I’ve arrested,” Kara presses, ignoring Alex’s increased looks of amusement.

 

“Technically I’m being illegally detained without due process,” Leslie says casually, tossing a spark against the wall again. “Something your mother disapproves of, by the way.”

 

“What?” Kara shakes her head. “Never mind. The point is - ”

 

“Please bring your potential lifemate here within the next four hours,” the AI drones, then winks back out of visual existence.

 

Kara checks her watch. 3:23 am. “Shit.”

 

Dragging Cat Grant, Queen of All Media, into a secret government facility specializing in combatting non-human adversaries? Before 8am? Convincing her to pretend to be Kara’s - Supergirl’s - lifemate?

 

She’s doomed.


End file.
